Sounding-board for pianos



(llo Kadal;) I 2 Sheets-sheet 1,

W. H. HOWE. r SOUNDNG BOARD POR PIANOS.

No. 572397. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-'sheet 2.

W. H. HOWE. SOUNDING BOARD FOR PIANOS.

No.-572, 897. Patented Dec. 8, 1896;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ILLIAM H. IIOXVE, OF XVATERTOXVN, MASSACIIUSETTS.

SOUNDlNG-BOARD FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572397, dated December8, 1896.

Application filed April 9, 1896. Serial No. 5S6,7'70. (No model&

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W ILLIAM H. Hou '13,016 XVatertown, county ofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovementinSounding-Boards for Pianos, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representin g like parts.

Sounding-boards for pianos have been made of many different shapes andsizes, but so far as I am aware they have been made of agradually-increasing thickness from one end of the board to the other.

Sounding-boards so made of a graduallyincreasingthickness from end toend do not respond with equality over all to the vibratons of thestrings, some parts of the board vibrating more than other parts, and infact it appears that some parts of the board more or less remote fromthe bridge or bridges over which the strings pass vibrate but little, ifat all. As a consequence the resonance of the different tones varies,that is to say, the different tones do not possess equal carrying orsinging quality, as, for instance, in ordinary pianos the diminution ofresonance of the higher tones is usually very marked.

This invention has for its object to construct a sounding-board forpianos and the like which will vibrate with equality or with substantialequality over all, that is to say, from end to end of the scale,resulting in the production of more resonant tones, which by theiraugmented carrying or singing quality are more pleasing to the ear, andwhat is, perhaps, more important resulting in equaliz- 'ing theresonance or carrying or singing Sounding-boards of ordinary uprightpianos are substantially rcctangular in 'orn, the strings crossing andrecrossing it diagonally, and hence the scale, as it is called, runsdiagonally or nearly so across the soundingboard, and I preferablyenploy several grad utions, or grad uated portions, and arrange thenidiagonally across the sounding-board in such a manner as to accord withthe diagonal arrangement of the strings and thereby correspond to oraccord with the scale.

Figure 1 shows in front View a soundingboard graduated in a manner toenbody the broad features of thisinvention 5 Fig. 2, a cross-section ofthe same, taken on the curved dotted line cc a', looking downward; Fig.3, a rear side view of a sounding-board graduatcd diiferently, yetdesigned to accomplish the same result; and Fig. 4, a rear side View ofa sounding-board graduated in still another way.

The sounding-board a is or may be of any usual shape and size, and itmay have upon it any usual or suitable bridges a', over which thestrings pass. v

In graduating the sounding-board, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, Iestablish a series of points at suitable distances apart, as at 2, 3, a,5, and 6, said established points beginning near the lower or base endof the board and gradually coming nearer together as they approach theupper or treble end, and then I gradually reduce or diminish thethickness of the board radially from these established points, saidradial graduations from each point covering an area which may bedescribed by a circle which may be clearly defined in the board, ifdesired, and herein represented in Fig. l by dotted lines b, c, d, e,and f., As the established points are located nearer together as theyapproach the treble end of the scale, the circles will of course becomesmaller in diameter. At the established points the boardmay andpreferably will be made of less thickness for each point as theyapproach the upper or treble end. Herein five established points arerepresented, although I do not limit my invention to any particularnumber, nor do I desire to limit ny invention to having the radialgraduations confined to covering a circle, as it is IOO &1

obvious that they may extend to the edge of the board, if desired, or toany predctcr mined line.

I find that a single large graduated portion, such as Z), will aloneproduce manybeneficial results when arranged with the bridge or bridgesover which the strings pass, extending diametrically across it, andhence, while I consider it preferable to einploy a series of graduatedportions, I do not desire to thus limit my invention.

Instead of graduating the board by working it out or cutting away thematerial I inay take a thin board and build up the graduated portions.

In Fig. 3 I have represented a thin board having circular portionsdefined by niargi nal strips it, and across said eircular portions,preferably running crosswise the grain of the wood, brace-bars n' areplaced, which are made of varying thiekness, so that when (30111- pletedthe central part of each eircular portion is of greatest thickness,strength, stiffness, or resistance, fron which part or point thestrength or resistance gradually diniinishes to the narginal strips. Inthis case it will be seen that the same results are acconplished as inFigs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 a thin board is shown, having thereon marginal strips n,defining certain circular portions, within each of which the board isbuilt up with a series of thin circular dsks or veneers, each of lessdiameter than the one upon which it is placed, and each laminatedportion thus fornied is made of a predeternined thickness at the center,producing substantially the same results as are acconplished in thefigures previously described. Therefore I desire it to be understoodthat wherever I refer to graduated portions I desire to include withinthe spirit and scope of this invention any form or Construction of suchportion or portions.

I claiml. A sounding-board having two or more graduated portionsextending across the board to 'accord with the scale, one of saidgraduated portions being of greatest strength or 'esistanee at themiddle, and gradually dininishing toward the edge, and a bridge overwhich the strings pass extending across said graduated portions,substantially as described.

2. A sounding-board having several grad nated portions, extending fromthe base toward the treble end of the board, and bridges over which thestrings pass extending across said graduated portions, substantially asdescribed.

A sounding-board having a graduated portion confined within a narginalstrip of an established thickness, said graduated portion being made ofgreater strength or resistance at the middle than at the edges,substantially as described.

4. A sounding -board having a series of graduated portions, extendingacross the board to accord with the scale, and confined within narginalstrips of an established thickness, and bridges dianetrically crossin gsaid graduated portions, substantially as d escribed.

5. A sounding board having a series of graduated portions, extending'from the base toward the treble end of the board, each portion havingan established point of a certain thickness, strength or resistance, andeach portion being gradually reduced in thiekness, strength orresistance, froni its established point.

0. A sounding-board having a series of circular graduated portions, eachportion having an established point of a certain thickness, strength orresistance, and each portion rcduced in thickness, strength orresistancc radially fron such point.

7. A sounding-board having a series of graduated portions, extendingfrom the base to the treble end of the board, each portion toward thetreble end covering less area than the preceding portion, and eachportion having an established point of a certain thickness, strength orresistance, fron which point the board is dininished or reducedradially, substantially as described.

8. A sounding board having a series of graduated portions, extendingfrom the base to the treble end of the board, each portion toward thetreble end covering less area than the preceding portion, and eachportion having an established point of a certain thickness, strength orresistance, froni which the board is dininished or reduced radially, thethickness, strength or resistance of the board at each established pointof the series as they approach the treble end being less than thepreceding one, substantially as described.

In testiinony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

lVILLIAM II. IIO\VE.

lVitnesses:

B. J. NoYEs, F. II. DAVIS.

IOO

